The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1887-07-07
rhe Useful Travellers, Tree.

A European traveller, on his way
from the coast of Madagascar to the
capital, Tananarivo, in the interior,
had emptied his water flask and was
suffering from thirst. He asked one
of the natives of his party when he
should be able to obtain water, says
the Youths Companion. ''Any time
you like" said the native, smiling.
The European saw no sign of springs
OF water; but the natives conducted
him to a group of tall, palm-like tree
standing in a cluster on the edge of
the forest, with straight trunks and
bright green, broad leaves, growing
from the opposite sides of the stalk,
and making the tree appear like a
great fan The white man gazed ad-
miringly at the tree. You think it is
o fine tree" said the native, but /
will show you what it is good for"
He pierced the root of one of the
leaf-stems, at a point where it joined
the tree, with his spear, whereupon a
stream of clear water spurted out,
which the European caught in his
water-can and found cool, fresh, and
excellent to drink.
The party having satisfied their
thirst and taken a supply the native
who had spoken went on:
This tree, which is good for us in
more ways than one, we call the trav-
eier's tree"
''But where does the water come
from that the tree contains?" asked
the white man. ''Is it taken up from
the soilp'
''Oh, no." said the native. sThe
leaves drink in the rain that falls on
them. and when it has passed all
through them it becomes very pure
and sweet"
And are there many of these trees
on the islandP"
There are so many that sometimes
one sees no other trees for a mile, and
very often we take no provision or
water when we travel, because we
know that we shall find the travellers
tree"
.'And you say there are other things
that they are good for?"
The native answered by asking an
other question.
''DO you remember" he said, ssthe
village that we passed through this
morning, with its wooden huts rooted
over with leaves? Those huts were
made of nothing but the travellers
tree. The wood splits easily, but
makes tough planks for floors, and the
walls of the houses are made of bark.
with the branches we make the
rafters, and the leaves cover the roof
But this is not all that the good tree
does. We are coming soon to a village
whose people l know, and / will show
you more"
The native was eager in his haste to
show to the traveller what the tree had
in store for him, and the European,
for his part, felt no little curiosity.
They arrived soon at the village, and
the guide conducted the traveller to
the hut of friend, who received them
very Hospitality and soon spread a
meal for them.
First he placed upon a sort of table
a spread made of some vegetable SUBJ
stance, very light and pretty; then he
set before his guests two drinking
vessels of a material which the white
man did not recognize, and then he
gave them two utensils, which, al
though rude in shape, served in the
stead of knife and fork.
In the midst of the table he placed a
large bowl, filled with cream of very
appetizing appearance. In another
vessel there was quantity of oil, with
almonds floating upon it.
Before we begin" said the guide,
81 must tell you what 1 promised.
Everything that there is upon this
table comes from the travellers tree
You see this table-cloth? 1t is made
of the fibers of the leaves of the tree
These drinking-cups, these plates,
these knives are made of the wood or
bark of the tree. What you take to
be the cream is dish made of the
seeds of the tree, pounded up with
meal and mixed with kind of milk
drawn from the trunk of the tree.
what you think are almonds are
little cakes made of these seeds, and
the oil is pressed from the skin or
shuck of the seed. As for the water
you are about to drink, you know that
already. And we get not only these
things, but some of the people OF
Madagascar have made kind of cloth
that they wear out of the fiber of the
wood"